Dosha in Body, Speech and Mind
DOSHA IN BODY STRUCTURES
| VATA | PITTA | KAPHA | |
|---|---|---|---|
| FRAME | Thin physique, unusually tall or short, possibly extreme | Medium build, moderately developed physique | Larger build, stout, stocky, well developed physique, hold weight |
| WEIGHT | Light weight, difficulty holding weight, prominent bones and veins, variable weight gain and weight loss | Strong medium muscles, tend toward even weight | Heavy, tends towards weight gain, easily accumulate fat and water |
| COMPLEXION | Darkish, dull tinge, lack lustre | Reddish, ruddy, flushed | Light, pale, pearly |
| SKIN TEXTURE | Dry, thin, rough, cracked, prominent veins, wrinkles | Warm, moist, pink with freckles, moles, acne/rashes, sunburn easy | Thick, pale, moist, cool, damp, soggy, soft smooth |
| HAIR QUALITY | Course, dry, darker, slightly wavy, scanty, may have dandruff | Fine, soft, moderate, early gray or bald, ruddy head sensitive to sun | Thick, abundant, oily, very wavy, full of luster, may have excessive body hair |
| HEAD | Small, long, thin, unsteady, tend toward stiff neck, rigidity of head or excess mobility, erratic movements | Angular, moderate | Large, stocky, steady, round, square, least head movements |
| FOREHEAD | Small, wrinkled | With folds | Large, broad |
| FACE | Thin, small, long, wrinkled, dusky, dull, gaunt, weathered | Moderate, ruddy, sharp contours, penetrating look | Large, round, fate, white or pale, soft contours, moon-like face, |
| NECK | Thin, long, may develop neck problems with loose tendons, may crane or bend the neck | Medium | Large, thick, square, not very long |
| EYEBROWS | Small, thin, unsteady | Moderate, fine | Thick, bushy, many hairs |
| EYELASHES | Small, dry, firm | Small, thin, fine | Large, thick, oily, firm |
| EYES | Small, dry, thin, brown, dull, unsteady, blinking, possible tremors, excessive eye movements, difficult to concentrate eyes on one point for long duration | Medium, thin, red – inflamed easily, green, piercing and penetrating, sensitive to light | Wide, prominent, thick, oily, white, pearly, attractive, tear easily, may have mucous discharge, movements steady not sharp |
| NOSE | Thin, small, long, dry, crooked, narrow, pointed | Medium, sharp or pointed | Thick, big, firm, oily, wide nostrils |
| LIPS | Thin, small, darkish, dry, unsteady, tend to thin lips, may bite lips, frequently chapped | Medium, soft, red, ruddy lips and face, | Thick, large, oily, smooth, firm, big, attractive |
| TEETH & GUMS | Thin, dry, small, rough, crooked, receding gums, may have space between teeth | Medium, soft, pink, gums bleed easily, may suffer inflammatory diseases of the mouth | Large, thick, soft, pink, oily, white |
| SHOULDERS | Thin, small, flat, hunched, tend to tight muscles | Medium | Broad, thick, firm, oily |
| CHEST | Thin, small, narrow, slight development, narrow epigastric angle | Medium, medium epigastric angle | Broad, large, well or overly developed, broad epigastric angle |
| ARMS | Thin, overly small or long, slight development, may have pronounced elbows | Medium, wiry arms | Large, thick, round, well developed, fleshy arms and forearms |
| HANDS | Small, thin, dry, cold, rough, fissured, unsteady, tend toward narrow hands with many lines and pronounced knuckles, or irregularity in shape of fingers, prominent veins | Medium, warm even in cold weather, pink | Large, thick, oily, cool, firm, big square or round without many lines |
| THIGHS | Thin, narrow | Medium | Well-developed, round, plump |
| LEGS | Thin, excessively long or short, prominent knees, may suffer lack of coordination | Medium | Large, stocky, able to stand for long periods of time |
| CALVES | Small, hard, tight | Loose, soft | Shapely, firm |
| FEET | Small, thin, long, dry, rough, fissured, unsteady, needs to be oiled regularly | Medium, soft, pink, good skin tone and circulation | Large, thick skin on soles, hard, firm |
| JOINTS | Small, dry, thin, unsteady, cracking, prominent joints | Medium, soft, loose | Large, thick, well built |
| NAILS | Small, thin, dry, rough, fissured, cracked, darkish | Medium, soft, pink | Large, thick, smooth, white, firm, oily |
| URINE | Scanty, difficult, colorless, bubbly or frothy, may be difficult to discharge | Profuse, yellow, red, burning, tend toward urinary tract infection | Moderate, whitish, milky, thick urine may have mucus in it |
| FECES | Scanty, dry, hard, difficult or painful, gas, tends towards constipation especially in the elderly | Abundant, loose, sometimes yellowish, tends toward diarrhea, may have burning sensation, may get constipated during fevers | Moderate, solid, sometimes pale in color, mucus in stool, abundant, soft |
| SWEAT / BODY ODOR | Scanty, no smell, seldom sweat, spontaneous sweat may occur in emotional distress | Profuse, hot, strong smell | Moderate, cold, pleasant smell, sweat profusely during exercise |
| APPETITE | Variable, erratic, extremes of appetite, when very hungry may get lightheaded or fearful | Strong, sharp, often can digest anything, can eat large amounts of food without gaining weight, strong appetite and possible anger when hungry | Constant, low |
| BALANCE TASTE | Prefers sweet, sour, salty, cooked with oil and spice | Prefers sweet, bitter or astringent food, raw, lightly cooked without oil or spices | Prefers pungent, bitter or astringent food, cooked with spices but not a lot of oil |
| CIRCULATION | Poor, variable, erratic, may be prone to palpitations, cold dry extremities and abdomen, | Good, warm, excellent circulation, may be prone to flushed red face | Slow, steady, consistent circulation, may have poor peripheral circulation with cold limbs yet abdomen tends to stay warm |
GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS
| VATA | PITTA | KAPHA | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACTIVITY | Quick, fast, unsteady, erratic, hyperactive, generally exhibit some extremes of activity – hyperactivity may bring exhaustion or withdrawal, or extreme mental activity may cause outer activity to be reduced | Medium, motivated, purposeful, goal seeking, active towards a particular aim, focused but not necessarily broad in what they attempt | Slow, steady, stately, not always adaptable in action and may get caught in patterns of not wanting to act much or often |
| STRENGTH / EXERTION | Low, poor endurance, starts and stops quickly, often good runners, can develop a great deal of physical adaptability, poor at lifting / carrying weight, tire easily | Medium, intolerant of heat, enjoy demonstrating strength and power but may not have the endurance they would like | Strong, good endurance, but slow in starting, not necessarily high performance |
| SEXUAL NATURE | Variable, erratic, deviant, strong desire bu low energy, may have few children | Moderate, passionate, quarrelsome, dominating | Low but constant sexual desire, good sexual energy, devoted, may have many children |
| RESISTANCE TO DISEASE | Fear of cold, wind, sensitive to dryness, have the greatest sensitivity to the elements and must protect themselves properly from them | Fear of heat, dislike of sun, fire, most tolerant of cold | Fear of cold and damp, likes wind and sun, do well outdoors, prefer to sunbathe or relax than work or exercise |
| DISEASE TENDANCY | Nervous system diseases, pain, arthritis, mental disorders, may suffer from pain and are very sensitive to it, diseases of the bones and nerve mainly through the large intestine | Febrile diseases, infections, inflammatory diseases, burning sensation, diseases of blood and liver | Respiratory system diseases, mucus, edema, susceptible to congestive disorders, particularly diseases of the lung |
| REACTION TO MEDICATIONS | Quick, low dosage needed, unexpected side effects or nervous reactions, tend to be hypertensive, erratic reactions to herbs or drugs may be extreme | Medium | Slow, high dosage required, effects sow to manifest, may need strong dosages to notice any effect |
| PULSE | Thready, rapid, erratic, superficial, irregular, weak, like a snake | Wiry, bounding, moderate, like a frog | Deep, slow, steady, rolling, slippery, like a swan |
MENTAL FACTORS AND EXPRESSION
| VATA | PITTA | KAPHA | |
|---|---|---|---|
| VOICE | Low, weak, hoarse, may be monotonous with not much strength to voice | High pitch, sharp, may be good orators and strong singers | Pleasant, deel good tone, may have beautiful singing voice |
| SPEECH | Quick, inconsistent, erratic, talkative, may ramble on and on, may at times be silent but talking in mind | Moderate, argumentative, convincing, tend to talk ‘at’ rather than with, generally trying to prove a point | Slow, definite, not talkative, like to draw out the state of communication, enjoy being with people without necessarily saying much |
| MENTAL NATURE | Quick, adaptable, indecisive, emotions change easily with fluctuating moods, better at information or abstract thought | Intelligent, penetrating, critical, questioning nature, may have a scientific or probing mind, better at ascertaining goals or values | Slow, steady, dull, good with broad principals, strong sentiments, much consistency, may be poor at details, dominated by feelings |
| MEMORY | Poor, notices things easily but easily forgets, remember ideas, information, trivia, sensitive to personal remarks | Sharp, clear, remember hurts and insults, but also victories and achievements, memory colored by their will | Slow to take notice but will not forget, remembers personal feelings, love, sentiments, intimate human interchanges, memory is colored by emotion |
| EMOTIONAL TENDENCIES | Fearful, anxious, nervous, ungrounded, may show shifting reactions | Angry, irritable, contentious, strong display of emotions | Calm, content, attached, sentimental |
| NEUROTIC TENDENCIES | Hysteria, trembling, anxiety attacks, extreme emotional expressions, may have loss of sensory or motor control to the extreme of tremors or convulsions, emotions generally transient and superficial | Extreme temper, rage, tantrums, anger attacks | Depression, unresponsive, sorrow, lethargic |
| FAITH | Erratic, changeable, rebel, unsteady and may go contrary to their faith which may be constantly changing, may have faith in many different things | Determined, fanatic, leader, may apply faith in a strong manner and become aggressive | Constant, loyal, conservative, like to stick to faith, unquestioned sense of loyalty, can be attached to the status quo |
| SLEEP | Light, tends toward insomnia, tend to sleep less than 4 hours at a time | Moderate, may wake up but will fall asleep again, may have dream-disturbed sleep, tend to sleep 4-7 hours at at time | Heavy, difficulty in waking up, sleep easily, may tend to sleep during the day, tend to sleep for 8-10 hours |
| DREAMS | Flying, moving, restless, nightmares, frequent dreaming that may be erratic or disturbed | Colorful, passionate, conflict, may have dramatic dreams that may disturb sleep especially when violent | Romantic, sentimental, watery, few dreams, least able to remember dreams, may have a vague sense of pleasure from dreams |
| HABITS | Likes moving, traveling, parks, plays, jokes, stories, artistic activities, dancing, diverse and curious in their habits, sometimes eccentric | Likes competitive sports, politics, debates, hunting, purposeful, competitive, seek results and achievements | Likes water, sailing, flowers, cooking, enjoy luxuriating and relaxing, or to be lazy |
